Liquid inks comprising treated colorant particles

Abstract

A process of making a liquid ink comprising the steps of:(a) dissolving a polymer comprising units derived from at least a nitrogen-containing polymerizable monomer in a solvent with a Kauri-Butanol number greater than 30 to form a polymer solution;(b) dispersing colorant pigment particles in said polymer solution to form a colorant pigment dispersion;(c) removing at least some of said solvent from said colorant pigment dispersion to form treated colorant pigment particles; and(d) dispersing said treated colorant pigment particles in an organosol containing a carrier liquid having a Kauri-Butanol number less than 30.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A process of making a liquid ink comprising the steps of: 
       (a) dissolving a first polymer comprising units derived from at least a nitrogen-containing polymerizable monomer in a solvent with a Kauri-Butanol number greater than 30 to form a polymer solution, wherein said nitrogen atom is present in a functional group selected from the group consisting of amine groups;  
       (b) dispersing colorant pigment particles in said polymer solution to form a colorant pigment dispersion;  
       (c) removing at least some of said solvent from said colorant pigment dispersion to form treated colorant pigment particles with an outer layer of the first polymer; and  
       (d) dispersing said treated colorant pigment particles in an organosol containing a second polymer carried in a carrier liquid having a Kauri-Butanol number less than 30.  
     
     
       2. A process of making a liquid ink according to  claim 1  wherein the dispersion resulting from step b) further comprises a change director. 
     
     
       3. A process of making a liquid ink according to  claim 1  wherein said nitrogen-containing polymerizable monomer is selected from the group consisting of methacrylates or acrylates having aliphatic amino radicals, nitrogen containing heterocyclic vinyl monomers, aromatic substituted ethylene monomers containing nitrogen radicals, and nitrogen-containing vinylether monomers. 
     
     
       4. A process of making a liquid ink according to  claim 1  wherein the colorant pigment is carbon black. 
     
     
       5. A process of making a liquid ink comprising the steps of: 
       (a) dissolving a first polymer comprising units derived from at least a nitrogen-containing polymerizable monomer in a solvent with a Kauri-Butanol number greater than 30 to form a polymer solution, wherein said nitrogen atom is present in a group selected from the group consisting of amine groups;  
       (b) dispersing colorant pigment particles in said polymer solution to form a colorant pigment dispersion;  
       (c) precipitating treated colorant pigment particles from said colorant pigment dispersion, the treated colorant pigment comprising pigment with said first polymer precipitated thereon; and  
       (d) dispersing said treated colorant pigment particles in an organosol containing a second polymer suspended in a carrier liquid having a Kauri-Butanol number less than 30.  
     
     
       6. A process of making a liquid ink according to  claim 5  wherein the dispersion formed in step b) further comprises a charge director. 
     
     
       7. A process of making a liquid ink according to  claim 5  wherein the colorant pigment is carbon black.